Merging with Acceptance
by TormentingAllLemmings
Summary: When Himeno's power begins to wane, the Knights must find another Pretear. But the girl they find is unable to Pret with them, and unwilling to learn. Will they be able to soften her heart?
1. Chapter 1

Summery: Another young woman mustbe chose as Pretear, with Himeno's own power waning. Unfortunately, she refuses to allow the Knights close enough to her, and it'll take some slick convincing to bring her around

Warning: Some language and violence. Rating may go up, but doubt it. MAY be some slight spoilers, but I try hard not to give too much away for you guys. May have some OOC, but I'm doing my dardnest not to. I love 'em just the way they are!

Disclaimer: Don't own Pretear manga or anime. Do own OCs and plot!

All right, this is a little weird. I love both anime and manga, so...(takes deep breath): All the characters will look like they do in the anime, but Sasame will be a little more like he is in the manga. (If you haven't seen anime/read manga, it's fine.) HOWEVER, (SPOILER ALERT!) Sasame will NOT have fallen in love with Takako, but she will have had summoned the Great Tree of Fenrir like in the anime. Himeno defeats her the same way as well, but Takako merely fades away. If you don't care for this merging of both anime and manga, you may or may not want to leave, it's up to you. But please give it a chance! This is really just so no one gets confused - it doesn't tie into this story too much.

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism welcome. No flames, but if you don't like it, just tell me why without swearing or being ridiculously nasty. Oh, and the way I spell Pret is the way they spelled it in the English subtitle in the anime - I checked.

* * *

"But I don't _want_ another Pretear!" Mannen protested with a frown. "Why can't Himeno still be Pretear?" 

"She isn't going to become the Princess of Disaster, is she?" Hajime asked suddenly, and he and Shin looked scared. Himeno looked taken aback for a moment before shaking her head in protest, laughing.

"That isn't it," Kei explained calmly. "Her time as Pretear has expired, that's all. She isn't able to Prêt with us anymore. Fenrir has been gone for over a year, and Himeno's power is simply gone. That doesn't mean she can't still be with us, you twits!" he yelled, realizing their worries were. "Get a hold of yourselves!"

"So…we don't need another Pretear, then?" Hajime asked cautiously. "I mean, if we don't need to fight the Princess of Disaster, then we don't have to Prêt, right?"

"Stupid," Go shook his head. "We still need to restore Leafe to this world, and we need a Pretear to do that."

"I think we should start searching as soon as possible," Sasame suggested. "After all, the sooner we find the Pretear, the sooner we can all relax."

"Good idea!" Go agreed, and sped off.

"I'll use my program to see what I can dig up," Kei offered, and a yellow light disappeared into the sky.

"You're okay with this?" Hayate asked her doubtfully. Himeno merely grinned and nodded.

"Well, of course I'll miss being able to Prêt with all of you, but I'll still be able to know all of you," she pointed out, grabbing Hayate's arm. He turned red and spun around, dragging her with him. Sasame remained silent as the other Knights left as well, and stared at the sky.

"First Takako, then Himeno…who will this next Pretear be? And what will she bring?" he wondered to himself. Hearing someone approach, he looked to see a young woman, perhaps seventeen or eighteen, striding down the street, seemingly lost in her own world. Her amber-colored hair, falling a little past her shoulders, glinted in the sunlight. _"I doubt this girl will be the Pretear, but may as well eliminate one girl,"_ he thought, and approached her. "Excuse me…"

"Get lost," she ordered, quickening her pace. She obviously didn't want anything to do with him, and Sasame remained standing were he was as the girl, wearing dark clothes and heavy makeup, brushed past him. If looks could kill, Sasame would be on the pavement reeling from the pain.

"_Hmm…"

* * *

_

"Where were you all day?" Antonia's stepfather demanded as she strode into the house.

"I was out," she replied shortly, but he grabbed her arm as she went to go upstairs.

"Don't give me any of that crap," he growled, quickly looking up as her mother came out of the kitchen.

"Oh, Antonia, you're home!"

"I was just telling her not to be late again," Duane replied cheerfully, still keeping a painful grip on his stepdaughter's elbow.

"You had me worried," her mother admonished her gently. Antonia hung her head slightly and gritted her teeth. Black makeup accentuated her gray eyes, making them seem bigger than they were, but did nothing to hide the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Sorry, mother," she managed. "I'll try harder next time."

"That's all I ask. Now, I think you should have dinner in your room so you can think about today and what you've learned," her mother said, the suggestion obviously an order. Antonia nodded silently and rushed up the stairs as soon as Duane let her arm go, ignoring the look he was giving her.

* * *

"Damn it," she muttered, flopping on her bed angrily. Her long black skirt flowed around her long legs as she crossed them, and the indigo top bunched up as she tucked her legs behind her and curled up in a ball, staring at the wall. "I thought I'd be able to get back without them noticing," she said to herself. "I'm in for it when he gets a hold of me," she thought, suddenly stretching back out and reaching over to her stereo. Music began to blast from the speakers, deafening her to the rest of her reality. After lying silently for a few moments she switched over to the radio and Sasame's Word Gate echoed in her head. 

"He seems to know everything," she thought. "But I bet he doesn't know half the things he pretends to. After all, he's just a radio personality. I don't know why I listen to him anyway." Despite her words, Antonia left the radio on, his words flowing over her and relaxing her mind.

* * *

"You cut class _again_?" her mother asked in despair. "Antonia, I don't know what's gotten into you lately! You were always so good at school!" Her daughter merely shrugged, and Duane stood from his seat. 

"Let me talk to her, Nina," he offered, guiding her mother to the door. "Maybe she just needs a father to speak to her."

"All right," Antonia's mother nodded gratefully and strode from the room, closing the door behind her. Duane turned to Antonia and she flinched before she could stop herself.

"You've caused her mother and I a lot of worry, Antonia," he began softly, rolling his sleeves up. She refused to back up, even though her mind screamed at her to get out of his way. "I thought you would have learned after the lesson," he continued, raising his arm for the first blow. She closed her eyes in acceptance.

* * *

"Oh, it's not a postcard," Sasame realized, opening up the envelope. "It's a letter." 

"Hey, have we had any news on the Pretear yet?" Go asked suddenly, and Kei looked up from his computer in annoyance.

"If we _had_, you would know," he replied. "Where's Hayate?"

"With Himeno," Mannen supplied, and tried to peer over Sasame's shoulder. "Hey, whatcha got? Another love letter?"

"Not exactly," he said, and folded it up. Putting it in his jacket, he looked around. "Where did Shin and Hajime go? Mannen…"

"They were right there a sec ago!" the Knight of Ice protested, and rushed off before Go could grab him.

"I'll go look too," Go offered with a sigh.

"So, what's up?" Kei asked without looking away from the screen, once the rest of the Knights had left the room. Sasame looked up in surprise, and then shrugged with a slight smile on his face.

"Nothing new."

"If that's what you say," the Light-wielding Knight shrugged and returned to his computer. Sasame stood up from the desktop he was sitting on and strode out onto the street, passing several young girls who were crowded around Shin. He saw with surprise that Go was talking to yet another girl, while Mannen and Hajime attracted several more.

"_I never realize how many girls there are unless we're looking for the Pretear,"_ he thought ruefully, _"And now it seems that they're everywhere."_ Glancing around and not seeing anyone else, he headed to the studio to read the letter he had received.

_Dear Sasame,_

_I actually don't know why I'm writing to you, since I think you're basically a fraud. But I guess there's not really anyone else that actually listens. Since all people do is act nowadays, I guess that's better than nothing. _

_My mother recently remarried to a real bastard. She seems to actually love him, but I can't figure out his feelings for her. I hate him with everything I have. He hurts me, but my mother's blind to it. I'm not able to tell anyone – no one would believe me. He has an excuse for everything._

_Please don't read this on the air. I just wanted to write this down to someone._

_Toni_

The letter's signature left little doubt to whether the author was male or female, and Sasame remained gazing at the small paper for a few moments that seemed to stretch out. Few people sent him letters like this one he held in his hand – most were about boyfriends or girlfriends or not feeling accepted, but only a small minority truly reached out to him in this fashion. To be honest, he was never sure how to respond – not that there was a way to get to this girl, seeing as she requested he not read it, and it was without a return address.

* * *

"Hey, Hajime, get back here!" Go yelled, running after the Knight of Water, who was followed by the other two as usual. "Damn brats," he panted, pausing for a moment. Looking back up, he saw the three younger Knights crowded around a young woman with bright gray eyes. She was smiling at them cheerfully, sitting on a park bench. Wearing a black skirt, heels, and snug shirt underneath a black jacket that touched the ground, she didn't seem the type to be Pretear, but he supposed that they were trying as hard as they could to find the new Pretear like Sasame said to. 

"I'm Antonia," she said.

"I'm Mannen," the white-haired kid introduced himself. "And these are Shin and Hajime. And that's Go over there."

"Nice to meet ya," Go grinned cheerfully, offering his hand. She merely gazed at him and suddenly stood up, brushing her skirt out.

"I have to get going," she told them, her attention returning to the small boys beside her. "But it was nice to meet you three."

"Bye," Shin said quietly, grasping her hand lightly. A light shone from her palm, and for a moment the Knights thought that the girl was going to Prêt with Shin – but in the next instant she released herself from the boy's grasp and shook her hand.

"Wow, that was some static," she commented absently, before striding past a gaping Go and out of the park.

"Uh…wasn't she the one we're looking for?" Mannen pointed out.

"But she wasn't able to Prêt with Shin," Hajime pointed out unnecessarily.

"She was," Shin protested. "But something blocked her heart. But she's the Pretear, I know it!"

"I guess we may as well go tell the others," Go managed, and began to drag them with him. "Don't run off again, brats."

* * *

"Weird kids," Antonia thought, before looking up the side of the house. "Now…how to get up there?" she wondered, gazing up at her window. There was no ivy or anything to grip on the side of the house, but a tree hung low over the roof. "Hmm…" 

Despite her skirts, she pulled herself up onto the limbs of the tree, somehow managing to grasp branches that seemed just out of reach to most people. Managing to jump onto the roof, she suddenly realized her position and laughed for a moment.

"I'm an idiot," she sighed, sitting down at an angle. "Now I'm completely stuck. There's no way I can reach the damn window from here. I guess I'm stuck here until morning – I'll climb back down before they get up and sneak in. With luck, they won't even know I was –"

"Are you all right?" a voice suddenly reached her and she started in surprise. Looking down, she saw the same pale-haired man from the other day, and glared at him.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" she hissed, gripping the roof tiles to keep herself from falling off.

"I saw you trying to climb, and thought you might hurt yourself," he said. "I'm Sasame."

"Whatever. Get lost before…before I…" she trailed off, unable to think of anything. She was stuck on the roof, and there was no way she'd wake up her mother and Duane. "Just get lost," she finished lamely, and he smiled up at her.

"It looks like you're stuck."

"Thanks for pointing that out," she muttered, and Sasame suppressed a chuckle.

"_What an odd girl…Go said she completely ignored him but talked to the kids, and now she's acting like it's my fault she's in the tree in the first place. But if Shin's right, I may as well try to strike up a friendship before she really hates me. But…she wasn't able to Prêt. I wonder what's wrong…"_

The Knight of Sound was snapped out of his reverie when she suddenly shrieked, losing her grip on the roofing. Moving instantaneously, he caught her in her arms before she hit the ground, and she remained frozen for a few moments, staring into his face. Suddenly turning red, she shoved herself out of his grasp and pulled her skirt back down.

"Thanks," she finally mumbled, still bent down. "I'm Antonia."

"Toni…" he murmured, the pieces suddenly coming together. "I see."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"So, I said thanks – you can get lost now," she prodded, pointing toward the street. "Wait a sec!" she called, when he began to stride off the lawn. "What were you doing here, anyway?" she asked, biting her lip for a few seconds and not meeting his steady gaze.

"Just taking a nightly stroll," he replied, before leaving her alone. She blinked in surprise, and then sighed, resigned to her fate. Feeling something cold hit her face, she looked up at the sky and raised her palm to catch the flakes falling from the sky.

"_Red snow…? Just like over a year ago…I wonder if those things will come back?"_ she wondered, shuddering in remembrance of the strange creatures that had appeared.

* * *

"So, you met this girl?" Go asked the next morning, as the Knights met to discuss the situation. 

"Yes," Sasame nodded. "I believe I know part of the problem from a letter received."

"What was the other thing you mentioned?" Himeno asked, sitting next to a sullen Hayate.

"I called up to her for a rather long time before she even noticed I was there," Sasame said. "I don't think it was just because she was daydreaming. I sensed she couldn't hear a word I said until she fell off the roof."

"So, you're saying she's deaf?" Kei asked.

"I believe so," he nodded. "Not fully, of course, but she certainly lost a lot of hearing ability."

"Would that affect her becoming Pretear?" Himeno asked.

"_If_ she becomes Pretear," Hayate reminded them. "Shin said she wasn't able to Prêt with him, remember? That means she has the power but can't access that. Whenever _that_ happens…"

"Yes, I know," Sasame nodded. "That's why I think the younger ones have a better chance of gaining her trust before us."

"Us?" Mannen asked in surprise. Sasame nodded and he grinned proudly. "Cool!"

"She cuts school constantly," Himeno told them after thinking for a minute. "I think I know who're you're talking about…Antonia Behzadi, I think. She's a few months older than I am, and moved here about the same time I became Pretear. She seemed really nice, but a few months ago she started cutting class. I think her mom remarried when her dad died, but I don't know what he died of."

"I see," Sasame nodded.

"I don't think this girl is going to work out," Hayate muttered, and for once Kei seemed to agree with him, a doubtful expression on his face.

"We can at least give her a try!" Go protested.

"Yeah!" Hajime and Shin chimed in, with Mannen nodding eagerly.

"All right," Sasame said suddenly. "We'll keep an eye out for her, that's all."

"I guess I'll see what I can dig up on her," Kei said grudgingly, and took off. Hayate merely grunted and stalked off, and Himeno ran after him.

"What's his problem?" Go wondered.

"He doesn't want to serve another Pretear, of course," Sasame replied simply.

* * *

"Hayate, what's the matter?" Himeno asked, catching up to him. 

"We don't need another Princess of Disaster," the Wind Knight said suddenly. "If she bonded with Shin but wasn't able to Prêt that means there's a serious problem with her. We shouldn't take the risk."

"But it means that she has the power of Pretear," she pointed out. "And she'll be the only one for a long time, Hayate. There was a time I wasn't able to Prêt, remember?" He remained silent, and she sighed loudly. "Oh, come on. I know you said you didn't want another Pretear, but it's not like I'll disappear from your life. Duh," she giggled. "You'd have a hard time escaping."

* * *

"I think that's her over there!" Shin pointed to a figure in the park, and Mannen grinned. 

"All right! Hey, Antonia!" he shouted, as the three ran up to her. She looked up in surprise, having lost track of time, and blinked to see herself suddenly surrounded by them.

"Oh…hi there," she said hesitantly.

"How've ya been?" Mannen asked cheerfully, grabbing her hand firmly and shaking it while Hajime and Shin grasped the other one.

* * *

"Are those three _trying_ to make her Prêt?" Go grumbled, and Kei shrugged. Go turned away from the tree and returned to Sasame and Kei. "Well, you said you found something on her?" 

"Yeah. Apparently, her father was killed by the Demon Larvae when they overran the city during Fenrir's attack," Kei told them. "She's seventeen, almost eighteen, and moved her with her parents from Austria almost two years ago."

"Wow," Go blinked and glanced back to the girl, who was absorbed in conversation with the other Knights. "Was that it?"

"That's it," Kei nodded.

"I see…and what she wrote about her stepfather must contribute to the pain she feels," Sasame thought quietly. "With those open wounds, it's not surprising she can't Prêt."

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

* * *

"Wanna go out for ice cream?" Hajime asked. "Our friend works at a restaurant in the city near here." 

"That one?" she asked, pointing to a skulking Go.

"Yeah, that weirdo," Mannen agreed, and she giggled. The two older Knights suddenly pulled her to feet as Shin clung to her legs, making it impossible for her to escape. "Hey, Go!"

"What, you little punk?" he asked, trying to pretend he hadn't been sneaking around the entire time. _"Those jerks escaped!"_ he realized angrily, seeing that Sasame and Kei had disappeared.

"We're gonna take Antonia out for ice cream," Hajime informed him. "Your treat."

"I can pay for myself," she interrupted, her voice suddenly cold. Glancing to the younger ones she smiled again. "And I prefer Toni."

"All right then, Toni –"

"I told _them_ I prefer Toni, not you," she interrupted him. "Antonia is just fine from you."

"Oh…okay, well, are you coming with us?" Go asked, taking a moment to recover from her sudden change in attitude. Shin, sensing something, held her hand tightly and she squeezed back.

* * *

See? I am NOT going to break up Himeno and Hayate, and I am NOT going to toss Himeno out to make room for my character. This is my first Pretear fic, so be truthful in a review, please! 


	2. Chapter 2

Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Just wanted to say thanks to Painted Angel Wings for reviewing! I hope this story isn't that bad. If it is, LET ME KNOW! I won't get offended or mad unless you're unnecessarily nasty.

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism welcome.

* * *

"So, what's with her, Shin?" Go asked, once she had left. "I noticed your face back there."

"When you called her Toni…she suddenly was really afraid, and angry," he said quietly. "I don't know why. As soon as she saw you, her body seemed to tense up."

"She doesn't like men," Sasame stated, surprising the heck out of Go when he suddenly spoke from behind the Knight of Fire. "I'm not surprised."

"Yo, are you gonna tell us what's going on, or just keep up the whole 'not surprising' attitude?" Mannen asked in annoyance. Sasame considered something for a moment, and then sat down.

"I suppose I may as well tell you three as well. From what I can gather, Antonia is abused by her stepfather. Physically and mentally, most likely. When I caught her, I saw a bruise on her shoulder that seemed to extend down her arm," Sasame told them. "That, combined with the memory of her father's death, is most likely the reason she doesn't feel comfortable with men her age and older – which explains her reaction to Go and myself."

"Oh," Hajime blinked and continued licking his ice cream for a moment before saying anything else. "So…what are we going to do? If she can't Prêt with us…"

"Well, she may be able to Prêt with you three, given time, but that's not enough," Sasame thought. "There must be a way to get through to her, and show her that we're not her enemy…perhaps if Himeno helps explain the situation."

"I guess it's worth a shot," Go shrugged, stretching his arms out behind his head. "So, when we gonna give it a go?"

"Well, Himeno doesn't have school tomorrow, so I suppose that's a good a time as any to ask," Sasame thought.

* * *

"Hey, Antonia!" Himeno yelled, chasing after her classmate the next afternoon.

"Huh?"

"Oh, you don't remember me? Well, we only met a few times," Himeno grinned. "I'm Himeno Awayuki. We're in the same class."

"I think you seem familiar," Antonia peered at her for a moment before turning away. "Nice to see you again."

"Hey, wait!" Himeno grabbed her arm gently, but Antonia jumped and pulled away roughly.

"Don't touch me!" she hissed, backing up. To her shock, she stepped on someone's foot – tilting her head back, her eyes met a grinning face that belonged to Go and she stepped away, realizing that she was surrounded by Himeno and young men. "Shin – Mannen, Hajime?" she blinked in confusion, and looked down as Shin took her hand.

"Don't be scared," the Plant Knight said quietly. "We need to tell you something, that's all. We won't do anything to you."

Antonia surveyed the group suspiciously, and her gaze hovered between Go and Sasame before nodding reluctantly.

* * *

"What the hell kind of bullshit is _that_?" she demanded, when they had finished the story.

"I find that offensive," Kei said lightly. "After all, your father was killed by one of those bullshits, wasn't he?"

The entire group stared at him in shock, having never heard him swear before, before Himeno turned back to Antonia with a gentle smile.

"I know it's hard to accept. I didn't believe it either," she admitted. "But it's true, honest. They're not just a bunch of weirdoes – well, stalkers, anyway."

"Even if I believed your crazy story, where do I fit into all of it, if Himeno's Pretear?" Antonia pressed.

"Well, apparently my power expired," Himeno shrugged. "Some girls are Pretear for life, while others only until their powers are gone. I guess my battle with the Princess of Disaster used a lot of it up."

"So…this Princess of Disaster chick was creating that red snow stuff? And she's gone?"

"Yes," Sasame nodded, and she glanced up at him. Realizing she hadn't heard, he nodded again and her gaze returned to Himeno. The Knight didn't miss something flash through her eyes briefly, and made a mental note to press the issue further another time.

"No," Antonia shook her head. "Since I can't even Prêt or whatever with you guys, what good would I be? Get lost – I've got enough problems to deal with. And – oh _damn_, it's dark already!" she interrupted herself, obviously upset.

"Is something wrong?" Himeno asked in concern, but the other girl didn't hear her as she raced off, trying to beat the setting sun to her house.

"I'll go," Sasame said suddenly, and disappeared in a flash of light.

"What do you think's gonna happen now?" Hajime wondered.

"My money's on that she kicks Sasame's ass," Go grinned, earning a 'look' from the others. "What?" he demanded loudly, and suddenly grabbed Mannen. "It's past your bedtime, brat."

* * *

"You're late again," Duane greeted her, as she skidded into the house panting. "Your mother is out with her reading group."

"I'm…sorry…" she panted. "I did my best, honest. I had to get rid of some guy trying to talk to me, that's all."

"Oh, so now you're a little slut," he said conversationally, and pulled her to him. "You're a little bitch," he growled, twisting her arm. She cried out in pain, but he paid no attention as he hauled her up the stairs. Tossing her onto the floor of her bedroom, he kicked her in the ribs before hauling her to her feet again and slapping her face. Trying to keep the tears of pain back she remained silent as he beat her, wishing she had never met the Knights of Leafe.

* * *

"_I should have stepped in,"_ Sasame thought, peering in her window later that night. She lay curled underneath the blanket, the bruises on her body obvious in the moonlight. _"And that thing about red snow…there's something there."_ Gazing at the girl for a little longer, he turned away and disappeared, leaving her to sleep in peace.

* * *

The next day was dark and rainy, the sun hidden behind gray and black clouds. The weather matching her mood, Antonia dragged herself out of the house, her body still throbbing painfully after her beating. Wearing the same black jacket over boots, blue-black boot-cut jeans, and a black T-shirt, she walked around the city in the rain. Almost no one was on the street due to the downpour, and she was soon soaked through, her hair clinging to her face. Hunched over despondently, she walked aimlessly, not realizing where she was until she hit a guardrail.

"Oh," she looked up, and saw that she was on the deserted bridge, which had been rebuilt only recently. Leaning on the rail she gazed down into the dark water, thoughts racing through her mind like quicksilver.

"I'm sorry."

She jumped in surprise, and a hand on her waist kept her from falling over. Sasame quickly released her once she was steady and calmly met the glare she gave him.

"What do you want?"

"You're the Toni that sent me the letter, aren't you?" he said, looking back at the river. "You told me not to read it aloud. The people who do have problems like yours do the same thing."

"What would you know?"

"I'd like to know what went through your mind when you learned that the only one who can create red snow is gone. You looked surprised," Sasame mentioned, seeing her startled once more.

"I was…just curious."

He remained silent, waiting for her to say something else. She bit her lip awkwardly and stared at the water as well, edging away from him. After a long while, with rain dripping in her eyes, she finally spoke.

"I saw some…the other night, after you left," she admitted. "Just a little, though."

"I see," he said, hiding his surprise.

"What?"

"You have a hearing problem, don't you?"

"Deaf in my right ear," she said grudgingly. "And mostly in my left. It's a condition I was born with. How'd you know?"

"I'm the Knight of Sound, after all. I wouldn't be worth my job if I couldn't tell. It must be rough."

"Eh," she shrugged. "I'm used to it." Sasame glanced at her, sensing a change in her mood again. Suddenly reaching over, he took her hand in his and held it firmly. The light began to shine again, and he felt himself beginning to Prêt with her. But just as he was almost completely merged with her, a shield came up and tossed him back, and he ended up on his back while she stood above him, looking both mad and scared at the same time. "What the…what the hell did you try to do?" she demanded, holding her hand. "What the hell _was_ that?"

"That is how a Pretear merges with a Knight of Leafe," he explained, getting to his feet. "For some reason, you're unable to complete the process."

"So find another one, like I said," she muttered, turning away again.

"You're the only with the power of the Pretear – even if you can't access it, you still hold it within you."

"That's your problem then," she spat out, before spinning around and racing away. He paused momentarily and then shot into the air, following her movements.

* * *

Running blindly in the rain, still shaken by Sasame's attempt to Prêt with her, Toni didn't pay attention to where she was going. Hearing only his voice and her heart pounding, the cries around her went unnoticed until she looked up and saw a truck coming right at, its brakes slick from the rain. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the impact, and gasped when something rammed into her. Expecting to feel the pavement and pain, she blinked when air swirled around. She gasped again when she realized that she was in the air – and in Sasame's arms.

"What…I thought…you can _fly_?" she managed. "What are you, Peter Pan or something?"

"Not quite," he smiled, holding her firmly against him. "You were almost hit. You didn't hear it, did you? Or the people yelling at you."

"What do you think?" she muttered, going red once more. Conflicting emotions of embarrassment, anger, relief, and gratefulness surged in her, confusing her further and just making her more annoyed than she already was. "Are you going to put me down, or what?"

"When we get to where I want to go," Sasame told. "If you fall, I can't guarantee I can catch you again, so I don't recommend squirming like you are now."

Toni stared up at him gaping before snapping her jaw shut and looking away, stubbornly remaining silent and trying to ignore her current situation. Sasame noticed her reaction – his only sign was a sudden grin that she failed to notice.

* * *

"So, where's this?" she asked, looking around the forest. "It doesn't look like any place I've been before. Everything looks…brighter."

"We're in Leafeania," Sasame explained, "The world where we live in. The Leafe here is much purer, which is why everything looks different. I wanted to bring you here so you could see what Leafe is." He stopped when he realized that Toni wasn't even listening, preoccupied by gazing around in wonder.

"This is amazing. It's so beautiful," she breathed, and he smiled.

"Yes. Can you feel the Leafe?"

"Leafe?" she repeated awkwardly, letting the word roll off her tongue. "What _is_ Leafe, exactly?"

"The source of life to everything living thing," he said. "That's the only way to explain. A Pretear can access Leafe to Prêt with a Knight. If she gathers enough strength, the Pretear can also Prêt with Leafe itself, becoming the White Pretear. The Pretear is able to give Leafe, where the Knights can only manipulate it. We can also give it to some extent, but not nearly as much as the Pretear."

"If this Princess of Disaster is gone, why do you need a Pretear?" Toni asked. Sasame blinked and then answered.

"We still need to protect the Leafe in both worlds, and to restore lost Leafe in this world," he told her.

"What about that red snow?"

"I don't know," he admitted, and she paused. "We thought Fenrir – the former Princess of Disaster – was the one creating it, but perhaps we were wrong. I'm sure everything will be figured out eventually, though."

"So…"

"Yes?"

"How do I Prêt, if it's that big a deal?" she asked, her question obviously startling Sasame.

"_That was rather fast…"_ he thought, taking a moment to regain his thoughts. "You have to be accepting of the Knight, and of yourself as well."

"Well, that isn't going to happen in a thousand years," she muttered, looking gloomily at Leafeania. "Can we go back now? I'm getting a weird feeling…"

"So am I, actually," he agreed, and took her hand. Creating the gateway, he guided her to her world, and they looked around as the other Knights gathered around them.

"Leafe has started to be sucked out of all the trees in the park not far from here," Kei reported calmly. Shin looked like he was going to burst into tears, being the Knight of Plants. "We have to either restore the Leafe by killing the source, or merely destroy all the trees in the surrounding area to prevent the disease spreading further."

"We'll use ice and fire," Go volunteered himself and Mannen, cracking his knuckles.

"No!" Shin protested, and suddenly clung to a very-surprised Toni's leg. "Don't let them, please!"

She blinked uncomprehendingly, having never been good with young kids in general. Hayate, as well as Sasame, waited silently for her to decide her course of action, and Kei merely gazed at her expressionlessly. Go blinked in confusion, and Mannen and Hajime looked at her expectantly. But it was Shin's face, with his trembling mouth and watering eyes that looked pleadingly at her, that struck closest to her heart.

"I'll do my best, then," she said, suddenly crouching down to his eye-level. He smiled anxiously at her, and she unconsciously grasped his hand in hers. Their palms began to glow, and a satisfied expression came over Sasame's face, while Hayate looked surprised – as did Kei and Go. Mannen and Hajime looked delighted, while the shock and fear was apparent on Toni's face. "What's…what the…"

"_Don't be afraid,"_ Shin said quietly in her head as they began to Prêt. _"I'm merging with you – you're the Pretear of Plants now. Let me help you and we can save the trees!"_

"Um…" she hesitated, now fully transformed into the Pretear of Plants. Seeing how uncomfortable she looked, Sasame stepped up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll help you, Antonia," he said softly. "Don't be afraid."

"Who said I was afraid?" she demanded angrily, hate having people think she was scared of anything – especially this bunch of weird guys. "I'll show you afraid! Come on, Shin – let's go kick some whatever butt," she said firmly, quickly adjusting to her power and using it to fly through the air with the rest of the Knights trailing after her.

* * *

"What happened here?" she asked in shock. The majority of the trees were black and ashy, as if a single touch could cause them to disintegrate.

"This is what happens when Leafe is stolen," Kei explained.

"_Please…let's save the trees before it's too much!"_ Shin pressed in her head, and she nodded to herself.

"All right – but what do I have to do?" she asked, quietly talking to herself in an attempt to figure out how to reply to the Knight inside of her.

"_Let your Pretear power guide you – feel the power of Plants and use it,"_ Shin encouraged her, but that didn't do much to explain things. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate on the little poking that was in the back of her mind. To her surprise, she realized that she really _felt_ the Leafe of the trees in the area, and of the rest of the plants. Listening to Shin's advice, she merely let her instinct dictate her actions, and began to weave something with her hands without realizing what she was doing.

"I hope Shin's got enough for this," Go muttered, and Kei looked at him calmly.

"He does. He's grown stronger, after all."

Their words went unheard by the Pretear and Knight of Plants, who were absorbed in their task. Their weave became apparent within moments, when a tangle of vines rose around Toni's body and bean to creep towards the dead trees. The other Knights watched – some more calmly than others – as Leafe began to pour into the trees, which revived quickly and thoroughly. Toni abruptly let go of the power, and Shin separated the Prêt quickly. The Knight appeared a little pale and breathless, but Kei was apparently right – the youngest Knight _had_ grown stronger.

Toni sat heavily on the ground, trying to catch her breath, and Sasame knelt next to her in concern.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded wordlessly, still sucking in air. She didn't want to admit it, but she had unconsciously drained more Leafe from herself than from Shin, not wanting to put him in danger of anything. Sasame sensed it, and suddenly pulled her towards him. She gasped, finding her back against his torso in-between his bent legs and his chin resting on her head. His arms folded around her and she willed herself to relax, but it was extremely hard.

"Thank you," Shin said, suddenly appearing at her knee, which was bent as well. She smiled at him and their fingers touched, the sense of accomplishment and companionship both strong. Sasame smiled to himself, and Hayate merely left as soon as the job had been completed. Kei shot a glance at Go, who seemed clueless, and dragged him and Mannen away, with Hajime following with complainants. After a moment in silence, Shin left as well, with a green flash of light. Sasame, connected to Toni in giving her Leafe, felt her surprise and suppressed a laugh.

"I forgot you haven't seen us transport yet," he mentioned, but she frowned at hearing his voice.

"Are you all right?" she asked, pulling away a little. Seeing him a little pale himself, her face changed abruptly in concern. "Sasame, what did you do? You gave me Leafe, didn't you?"

"Of course. A Knight is always prepared to give Leafe to the Pretear and support her," he informed her, and pulled her back again. She remained for a few moments longer before sitting up straight and scrambling to her feet.

"I have to go…home," she said reluctantly, and Sasame rose to his feet as well.

"I'll accompany you."

"_N-no_!" she cried, in a burst of panic. Seeing his shocked expression, she laughed nervously while backing away. "Uh, I mean, uh…well, you see…I have to get going! I'll see you later, Sasame1" she called, before rushing off. Sasame could have easily caught up to her again, but remained still, considering her reaction.

"_It won't hurt to stop by later,"_ he decided, and disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

Good? Bad? Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

I hope this is turning out okay! Thank you Painted Angel Wings and LMGroupieGirl for reviewing! I hope you keep reading and enjoying it!

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism welcome.

* * *

Tonilay in her bed later that night, fresh bruises scattered on her body. Frowning, her dreams were apparently not pleasant from her restless sleep. Sasame remained outside the window, unsure why he was still there. She had been asleep a good two hours, but something told him to stay. Tossing in her bed, she took the covers with her as she rolled toward the edge of the bed. Sasame flung the window open and caught her just as she was about to crack her head against the wooden nightstand that was beside her bed. Mumbling slightly, she shifted once more in her sleep. Seemingly sensing the change of where she was sleeping she popped awake, and almost shrieked to find herself looking up at Sasame.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she hissed, jumping up and promptly falling backwards on the bed. Suppressing a sigh she quickly sat back up straight and glared at the Knight of Sound, who paused. "_Well_? If he – "

"Antonia? Is everything all right in there?" Duane called from the bedroom across the hall, and she froze in horror. Shooting a terrified at Sasame, she shoved him back toward the window, urgently gesturing for him to get lost.

"Everything's fine! I just fell out of bed!" she called back hastily, giving Sasame a final push. He left reluctantly, but couldn't help but laugh when he saw her lock window. As if a lock could keep a Knight out – but that wasn't the point.

"_A Knight is supposed to protect the Pretear from anything that can harm her,"_ he brooded, reclining against a tree a block away. _"But when the danger is in her own home, in that form…what is a Knight supposed to do then? How do I protect her then?"_

Glancing up briefly, Sasame shook his head to clear it and strode down the street, leaving the question unanswered for the time being.

* * *

"You almost got me an ass-kicking last night," she informed him the next day in the late morning. She had skipped class again – she had all but dropped out at this point – and was lecturing the Knight of Sound in a secluded part on the grounds of Himeno's mansion, where they had decided to train. Mannen grinned at the sight of the collected Knight looking startled and getting chewed out, and Shin and Hajime looked confused. Kei and Go were both at work, and Hayate was nowhere to be found.

"What were you doing in her room last night?" Hajime asked teasingly, and Toni flushed a bright red. Sasame merely looked mysterious, and she quickly punched his arm.

"Cut that out!"

"Cut what out?"

"That…that look!" she spluttered, as he gave her his best innocent smile.

"What look?"

"_Sasame_! Cut – it – out!" she begged, almost wailing. He decided to stop teasing her for now and return to the matter at hand.

"All right. Now, we're here to help you train with your powers as a Pretear," Sasame told her, and her look clearly said "duh". "So, who will you Prêt with next? The rest of us will act as enemies or decoys to train your senses."

"Prêt with me!" Mannen eagerly volunteered, clasping her hand. Before she could utter a word of protest, she felt herself being swept up into the Prêt, and was quickly the Pretear of Ice.

"Good," Sasame encouraged the two of them. "Now, let's begin, shall we? And Mannen – try not to overdo it. It's good of Himeno's family to let us use the grounds as it is – no need to destroy it in the process, understand? You have more experience here, remember."

"_Yeah, yeah, let's get on with it!"_ Mannen said impatiently, and a part of his emotions seeped into Toni as well.

* * *

"Not bad," Sasame praised them almost two hours later. "You both work very well together – good job, Mannen."

"What are you talking about?" the Knight demanded, appearing just as fresh as when he had merged with Toni. The young woman was a little ways off with Hajime and Shin, and looked rather pale and out of breath. "She was the one who used most of the Leafe. She hardly let me do anything!"

"I see," Sasame blinked, not as surprised as he supposed he should be. After considering something for a moment he strode up to the trio, two of whom were chatting happily. "Why don't you two and Mannen go get something to eat?" he suggested. "I'm sure they won't mind feeding a bunch of brats like you."

"Who're you calling brats?" Hajime demanded, before rushing off with the other two. Sasame sat on the edge of the fountain next to Toni, who seemed prepared for a lecture.

"What'd I do now?"

"It's more of what you're not doing, to be honest," he admitted, and she looked at him in confusion. "When a Knight Prêts with the Pretear, there comes a certain expectation of teamwork," he explained. "Especially when it comes to Leafe. A knight is prepared to sacrifice himself in battle for the Pretear, no matter what. If you keep using your own and blocking the Knight's, you can very well kill yourself like that. The reason for the Prêt is to _combine_ forces, you see?"

"I know," she nodded, looking discouraged. "I know what I'm _supposed_ to do, but…I can't help it, somehow. I just don't want them to get hurt," she ended lamely, and cast a glance at him. "I guess that sounds ridiculous, huh? I mean, they're more experienced than I am in fighting stuff."

"No…it's not ridiculous," Sasame said slowly. "But you have to understand that a Knight is there to give himself to the Pretear – just as I gave you Leafe, remember?"

"You tricked me!" she protested, but a look of understanding began to cross her face.

"It's a Knight's job – not to trick the Pretear, but to help you," he added hastily, seeing her look of horror. "Sorry."

"I don't get you guys," she sighed, slumping as if in defeat. "Hayate acts like he can't stand me, those three kids are…well, I don't know! Kei seems absorbed in work without emotion, and I think Go is going to drive me insane. And Sasa–"

"And me?"

"Huh?" her head shot up and he knew she had been mostly talking to herself, forgetting he was there until the last moment. Seeing his smile her face began to flush, much to her chagrin.

"What about me?" he repeated, enjoying her trapped look.

"Sasame! What are you doing to her?" Go asked teasingly. Toni, completely taken by surprise, jumped and fell backwards, only avoiding the water thanks to Go's quick grab. "Sorry 'bout that," he grinned apologetically, and Sasame was grateful for a distraction.

"We were training, but they went off to get something to eat," Toni explained, as Go sat next to her. She eyed him cautiously, but stuck between the Knights of Sound and Fire, she didn't have much of a choice except to stand up, which she decided not to when the aforementioned trio ran up.

"Hey! Sasame told us to!" Mannen said indignantly, and Go's eyes lit up.

"Oh-_oh_! I see! Sasame, you _are_ up to something!" he announced, and Toni looked at him in disbelief. Sasame closed his eyes and shook his head in suffering toleration, as Hajime handed Toni an ice cream cone.

"Want one, Go?" she offered, to his surprise.

"Huh? Oh, no thanks Toni – sorry, Anto–"

"Toni's fine," she interrupted him calmly, as if she had never said anything about her name to being with. "I don't mind."

Go exchanged an incredulous look with Sasame, who shrugged helplessly from behind her line of view as Shin and Hajime kept her occupied, as Mannen tried to ice Go from the feet up.

"Hey! Cut that out!"

* * *

"Are you going home?" Sasame asked later that evening, as the sky darkened to a dusky purple. She glanced over at him, becoming used to his sudden appearances. Considering the question, she shrugged wordlessly. He continued to walk alongside her as she gazed over at the ocean waters, ignoring his presence.

"I guess not," she sighed. "They're on a vacation for a week or whatever, so I can do what I like for once."

"I though you did that all the time," he commented, but the look she shot him was anything but calm. Opening her mouth, she abruptly snapped her jaw shut with an audible click and looked away, trying to keep her temper in check with the calm Knight.

"Well, maybe I do, at that," she said finally, her voice too low for anyone but the Knight of Sound to be able to pick up.

"So, where are you going then?" he asked. His question took her by surprise, and she gaped at him for a moment before regaining her composure.

"Nowhere, I guess," she shrugged, and he gazed sharply at her. "What? You look like you're going to tell me off."

"I was just wondering what you were going to say about me before Go interrupted us," he smiled calmly at her, and she turned a dark pink.

"Y-you…he didn't interrupt anything, because I wasn't going to say," she shot back, just as calmly. He cocked his eyebrow at her and she gave him her best innocent look, which only made her look more suspicious.

"All right then, if that's how you're going to be…" he trailed off, purposefully avoiding her suspicious gaze.

"What? Sasame, what are you hiding?" she demanded, but he continued to ignore her. For someone who was going to be eighteen, sometimes Toni couldn't help but act like a child again. "_Sasame_! If I'm you're Pretear, and you're my Knight –" She cut herself off at that, realizing how it sounded, but he merely grinned. Glaring at him, she took a deep breath and continued anyway. "If you're my Knight, then I _order_ you to tell me!"

"Now you're giving orders?" he asked in mock surprise, the most relaxed she had ever seen him so far. "I thought you'd never start acting like Pretear."

"Huh?" she blinked, confused. "What do you mean? A Pretear is supposed to yell at you guys? I mean, if that's what I'm supposed to do, I'll certainly be able to manage a hell of a lot more of it."

"No," he shook his head. "Acting confident – self-assured, instead of moving like someone is going to jump at you from behind all the time. And even if someone does," he added, veering off the serious compliment he had given her, "If someone _does_, that's what we're here for."

"So…you guys would beat up people for me?" she asked, trying to keep a straight face. He eyed her before shaking his head in amusement.

"Not quite. Nice try though, Tonia."

"What'd you call me?" she asked sharply, and he thought for a moment. The name had slipped out from him before he realized what he had said, and Sasame wasn't sure why she had grown so pale. "Sasame, what did you call me?" she repeated, her voice much softer than before.

"Tonia," he replied. "I didn't mean to. If it bothers you, then I won't do it again."

"N-no, it wasn't…it was just…never mind!" she finished in annoyance, obviously mad at herself again. Kicking at the sand proved futile, but she concentrated her gaze so hard on the water Sasame was sure he was going to see steam rising from the ocean in any moment. "I don't mind, I guess."

* * *

"You don't mind sleeping here alone?" Sasame asked, surprise faint in his voice. She eyed him curiously for a moment before laughing – really laughing, not the bitter one he had heard several time before. "I'll take that as a no."

"Of course not," she shook her head with a smile. "The couple next door is an elderly couple with a few guard dogs they let loose in the backyard at night, and the guy across the street is a cop. Nope, I think I'm good. Thanks anyway, Sasame."

"All right," he nodded, and turned to go. "Good night – Tonia."

"Night, Sasame," she called, before shutting the door.

* * *

"Who's there?" she called impatiently the next morning, her hair in a loose knot and wearing sneakers, jeans, and a plain black shirt. Getting up from the piano where she was banging out Rachmaninoff, she headed towards the front door in annoyance. Flinging it open, she was floored to see the Knight of Wind at her doorstep. She thought he hated her! "H-Hayate?"

"Funny – I never pegged you for the classical type," he said teasingly, peering over her shoulder. "I've been standing here for a while. Doesn't your doorbell ring?"

"Uh, yeah, it does. I guess I didn't hear it," she mumbled, her ears going red.

"Oh."

"So, do you want to come in, or what? I mean, why are you here?" she asked, letting him into the house. He took in the surroundings for a quick second before turning back to her.

"Well, I was talking to Himeno not long ago, and…I'm sorry for the way I've behaved toward you," he forced out, each sounding as if he was going to die from saying it. Toni's eyes almost fell out of her head – she knew that apologies from Hayate were as rare as pink grass – but she quickly snapped her mouth shut.

"Oh…uh, okay…"

"So, I was wondering if you'd like to spend some together getting to know each other," he said, ending with a small smile. "After all, if you're the new Pretear, I better not be the only Knight who doesn't know anything about you."

"Um…all right, just let me grab a jacket," she nodded, and rushed off. She also managed to change into a dark-gray shirt with red designs and black boots as well instead of her scrubs, and reappeared next to the Knight in less than two minutes.

"I thought we could just walk around the city, if that's all right," he suggested, and she shook her eagerly – and nervously. After all, she knew next to nothing about the Knight that seemingly had hated her, and now she was supposed to spend the day with him – alone!

"No, that's fine," she grinned. To her surprise, he nodded with a return grin. _"If I didn't know how he and Himeno felt, I'd pay more attention than a friend to him, but I'm not an asshole – or a backstabber to my friends,"_ she thought, following the tall young man down the street.

* * *

"I'm glad Himeno talked some sense into you," she said, laughing as the sun began to set in the horizon. She bit her tongue, hoping she hadn't offended Hayate. He merely shook his head, amused about something she didn't get.

"Well, that certainly helped," he admitted. "But what convinced me you might be Pretear was when I heard you were able to Prêt with Mannen for training, when there was no danger around. That means you're able to accept some of us, at least."

"I'm sorry about that," she mumbled, but he shook his head.

"No need to be. Himeno had to work through the same thing. I think you two would be good friends," he added absently, and she openly gaped at him. Hayate offering friendship advice?

The world as she knew it was coming to an end.

Looking in the sky, she didn't see any sign of the impending Apocalypse, but kept an eye out just in case.

"What are you doing?" he asked, seeing her gaze wander. She snapped back to attention with an innocent smile.

"Nothing, Hayate."

"Mm-hmm…" he eyed her, and then checked his watch. "Oh, I was going to meet Himeno for dinner."

"Oh, it's no problem!" she grinned. "I had a great time today, Hayate. I'm glad we can be friends too. After all, we have to work together."

"Yeah," he nodded, and suddenly petted her on the head before striding off. She stood frozen for a moment in shock, unsure whether to be offended or complimented. She settled for the latter, and settled herself on the damp sand neat the short, letting the cool water lap at her covered feet. Suddenly, she felt a weird sensation in the back of her head and stood up abruptly, looking around. She didn't see anything odd, and shook her head to clear it.

"I knew it," she muttered. "I _am_ going nuts!" Toni started to turn away from the ocean to head to get something to eat, but something made her whirl around just in time to see a huge wave lunge at her. Only – waves weren't normally so high and narrow, and they didn't lunge at people. Rush, sure.

But not lunge.

"Oh, shit!" she shrieked, and gasped for air, prepared to be dragged out into the water. Closing her eyes and bracing herself, she blinked when she felt herself in the air, and found herself being towed by a grinning Go. Releasing her breath in a huff, she steadied herself as he lowered her back on the ground.

"I thought there I sensed something wrong," Hajime frowned, staring at the water. It had taken on a dark taint, almost clear in a grayish color. Hayate had returned with the other Knights, looking more put out than concerned.

"So, what's the matter?" he demanded. "Toni's the Pretear – she can take care of it."

"Hayate!" Sasame said in exasperation, but Toni merely grinned. She knew that Hayate meant it as a vote of confidence, not a disparaging comment.

"No, it's cool. C'mon, Hajime, let's go get rid of this gunk," she smiled, holding her hand out to the Knight of Water. He grinned back at her cheerfully before initiating the Prêt. When she was the Pretear of Water, Toni hovered above the water, eyeing the strange-looking water in confusion.

"_What's going on with it, Hajime?"_

"_I don't know!"_ he wailed inside her head. _"Water Leafe has never been tainted like this! I can sense it still, but it's…twisted somehow."_

"_Any idea how to purify it?"_

"_Not really."_

"_Damn it."_

"Toni!" Mannen shouted, icing over the water that had been about to strike.

"Thanks, Mannen!" she called back, beginning to move once more. Using the Water Flail, she tried to restore the balance to the Leafe, but the tainted Leafe only absorbed the pure Leafe and corrupted it. "What's going on?" she cried, and shrieked when one of the tentacles made contact. To her shock she felt no pain, but heard Hajime's cry of pain. _"Hajime!"_

"_It's okay – I'm fine. That was nothin'!"_ he assured her, but she still felt him in pain. Distracted just for a moment, she failed to see the water headed her way until it had enclosed her within its grasp. Gasping for air, she only received a mouthful of water, and realized that Hajime would drown as well. That feeling, that he would die because she made a mistake, froze her completely and she forced the Prêt to end before any of the Knights could do a thing.

"She forced me out!" Hajime shouted, landing on his behind in the sand. "I couldn't stay in!"

"No one's blaming you. Now get back in there!" Hayate yelled back, doing his best to defend against the tainted Leafe. Toni was encased in a growing sphere of tainted water, unable to breath.

"Damn it!" Go swore, shooting fire at it. He momentarily blasted it apart, and Kei managed to catch the falling Toni. She sputtered on water, and Mannen merged with her before she could register what was happening.

"_Don't worry – let's just put this thing on ice!"_ Mannen ordered, trying to get her to move. Sensing she was still paralyzed he used a last resort. _"If you don't move your ass, we're all gonna get hurt!"_ That certainly hit a nerve, and she sprang into action. Icing over the tainted water, she waited as Hajime made sure it wasn't able to be purified before Kei shattered it with blasts of light.

"There," the Knight of Light landed noiselessly on his feet like usual, showing little effort. "That should stop whatever it is for a while."

* * *

"What the heck happened out there?" Mannen demanded, having ended the Prêt with Toni once the danger was past. Hajime and Shin crowded her, and Hajime looked at her with worry. 

"I said I wasn't hurt – see?" he offered his arm for inspection, but she ignored it. To be honest with herself, she was embarrassed at the way she had acted, and angry that she had behaved the way she had.

"Tonia, it's all right," Sasame said gently, ignoring the suspicious look Go shot him at the new nickname. "The thing's gone, which is all that matters. You did fine – we should have told you how a Knight acts during a battle."

"Yeah, probably," Hayate cut in brusquely, before turning around. "I've got places to go. Good job, Toni."

She blinked at those words, but shook her head.

"I'm sorry – I acted like an idiot," she managed, her gaze focused on the sand. "I should've listened to you guys. I just…I…" Clenching her hands into fists, she took off before they could grab her, and Kei held Sasame and the others back.

"She needs time to digest what happened today," he said coolly. "We _should_ have informed her of the consequences of a Knight's role in battle instead of letting her discover this way, but talking to her isn't going to help. Let her have some time to herself for now."

* * *

Bonding with Hayate - what fun! Now to see how she'll deal with these events...please review and I'll update as soon as possible!


	4. Chapter 4

Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Thank you, Painted Angel Wings, for reviewing and the vote of confidence! Oh, there will be stronger language in this chapter and the next, just so everyone knows. As a side note, I hope it doesn't seem like Sasame and Toni's relationship was rushed or something like that - I like to think that she secretly had a crush on him, and he develops his feelings slowly. But. That's in the next chapter as well, so you'll see what I'm talking about. There will more than likely be only one more chapter, two at the most.

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism welcome.

* * *

"I'm an idiot," she muttered, stalking around the city, the only lights coming from the streetlights. "I can't believe I freaked out like that in the middle of a battle…but what was that stuff? It was sort of like the trees, but more…evolved, somehow. Almost like the Leafe itself is become tainted and affecting the different things in turn." Thinking out loud, she couldn't help but walk into a street pole, and rubbed her nose ruefully. "Well, that hurt."

Shrugging it off as nothing more than she deserved, she continued to prowl the streets, not really caring where she was heading. She stopped abruptly when she heard male laughter nearby, and sighed to herself.

"Hey, where're ya heading, cutie?" one called out, while another wolf-whistled. She eyed them with disgust and began to continue walking on, but a third moved to block her path. Bracing herself for more action, Toni shrugged off the guy's hand on her shoulder and turned to face him.

"What do ya want, jackass?" she asked conversationally. He merely grinned toothily at her and reached for her arm, but a swift kick in a rather-sensitive spot dropped him easily enough. Mentally thanking her dad for wanting her to start karate, Toni swung her leg further out to kick the second one's throat in, but swore when he grabbed her ankle and tossed her on her back. Muttering, she moved to get up, but grunted when he placed a foot on her ribcage.

"You may be a looker, but you're not worth the fight," he sneered, his foot moving back to connect to her face. She turned her face to avoid the worst, but the blow never landed. Blinking when she saw the guy go flying across the street, she was suddenly pulled to her feet as the third guy ran down the street, abandoning his limping friend.

"Geez, not exactly in the zone, are you?" Go teased, holding her wrist until he was sure she was okay.

"Thanks, Go."

"Hey, it's our job," he grinned, and then sobered some. "Kei said to leave you alone for a while, but you looked so glum back there – it's been a while, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," she nodded, a bit confused.

"Well, we're sorry for not telling you sooner. You see, when a Knight Prêts with a Pretear, he either acts as her weapon for attack, or her shield in defense," Go explained. "We take the blows for you so you stay protected. That's what we're for – we're Knights. Not letting us do our job is like saying to someone they're not good enough."

"I don't mean it like that!" she protested, but he put his palm out to stop her.

"I'm not saying you did," he said. "But that's how we _could_ take it, get it? But if you let us do our jobs, then we'll let you do yours."

"Which is?" she asked suspiciously.

"Let us guard you and help the Leafe," he said simply, and she blinked. After a second she took his proffered hand, and he gripped her hand firmly. "Glad to know we see to eye to eye. Now, don't tell Kei I told you any of this, or he'll be pissed at me for 'interfering' or whatever."

"My lips are sealed," she agreed, laughing at his suddenly overdramatic-furtive glances around the street.

"Shh! You never know where he could be!" he warned her jokingly, and suddenly lifted her into the air.

"Hey! Where're we going _now_?" she asked helplessly, with a sigh.

"Oh, I'm just taking you home. It's either that or the homeless shelter – or I could take you to Leafeania," he added thoughtfully, then shook his head. "Nah. Then we'd _really_ need to be looking for another Knight of Fire soon."

"I see," she giggled, and then stopped, surprised at herself. He grinned down at her and she returned the smile before locking her arms around his neck to keep from falling.

* * *

"It seems no one listens to Kei, huh?" Toni shook her head the next morning, after Hajime, Mannen, and Shin arrived at her doorstep. A little voice in the back of her head had hoped it was Sasame, but she ignored it as usual.

"Not really," Hajime agreed, and Mannen smirked.

"Don't you guys go to school?" she asked, closing the door as they came into the house.

"Huh? What, you think we don't?" Mannen asked in disbelief, and then shook his head. "Of course not! We may be kids, but we're not kids – get it?"

"Not really."

"Oh well. Anyways, lots of people think that Sasame is the oldest, but that's really Hayate," Mannen continued in a lecturing tone, as she watched him in quiet amusement. "You thought that too, didn't you? It's okay, you can admit it."

"I didn't really think about it, actually," she admitted with a shrug. "You guys haven't given me much to think about anything."

"Right," Shin nodded with a smile, and she beamed down at him. Even though they were Knights as well, she couldn't stop thinking about them as just kids, especially Shin.

* * *

"I thought I'd find them here with you," Kei said dryly, appearing at the park later that afternoon. "Didn't I tell you three to stay with Hayate? Or did you sneak off again?"

"Uhm…"

"It's all right, Kei," Toni interrupted. "I had fun – I'm glad they came by. It wasn't a bother."

"I suppose it's all right, then," he relented, but fixed the young Knights with a stern glare. "But if you do it again, we'll seal you Leafeania until you're needed, understand?"

"Yep!" Hajime nodded, with Shin following his lead. Mannen took a little longer, but he agreed reluctantly when Tori gazed calmly at him.

"Good," the Knight of Light nodded in satisfaction, and then looked around. "See? There's Hayate looking for you now."

"Aw…" Hajime pouted and Tori shook her head in amusement as the annoyed-looking Knight of Wind stalked up to them.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, but Kei interrupted.

"Calm down, Hayate. Toni said they didn't bother her. Since you're here we may as well go eat somewhere for lunch, as I'm sure they're hungry…"

"Yeah!" Mannen cheered, and Shin nodded happily.

"You guys don't have to take us out," Toni began, but Hayate looked at her sternly.

"No arguments. We'll go to where Go works – he should be having his break as well by now."

* * *

"Hey, guys!" he called happily, seeing them approach. "Kei? What're you doing here?" he added in surprise, and the other Knight appeared as if he was suffering much. "He doesn't usually tear himself away from his computer at work," Go whispered in Toni's ear as they sat down, and she grinned.

"What are you saying about me now, Go?" Kei demanded, but he immediately acted innocent. When the other Knight's back was turned, however, Go winked at Toni and mouthed "I told you so," earning another laugh.

"You certainly seem to be feeling better," Hayate commented as they waited to order, and Toni looked surprised for a moment before nodding.

"I guess I am," she shrugged, and looked around momentarily. "It's hard to stay depressed with the way you guys act, you know."

"Good point," Kei admitted, with a shake of his head. Hajime and Shin looked proud of themselves, while Mannen was busy trying to catch the attention of a passing server. Go suddenly whistled sharply, causing them all to jump, and the guy headed over within moments. "Impressive."

"Thanks," Go smirked, obviously pleased with himself.

"Is Sasame coming?" Toni asked, before she could shut herself up.

"I think he's busy at the studio," Kei told her, and she nodded. They fell silent for a bit, having quickly received their orders and contenting themselves by eating. Once they were done, however, the three younger Knights grabbed Toni's arm and began to tug her from her seat.

"Let's go back to the park!" Hajime suggested, and Hayate stood up.

"Hey, hold on a sec. Maybe Toni wants to go somewhere else," he informed them, but she shrugged.

"I don't mind – it's a nice day," she agreed. She stood up and let herself be led away by the Knights, while the older ones gazed after them for a few moments.

"She really seems to have grown used to her situation," Kei commented.

"And they've become practically attached to her hip," Hayate added, and Go nodded. "Where's Sasame, by the way? I know he's not at work, and usually when we're all together he's here as well."

"Dunno," Go shrugged, standing up and stretching. Swinging his arms back down, he began to amble across the street, following Toni and the others into the park.

"I think he wants to give Toni some space, for whatever reason. Well, I've wasted enough time. I need to get back to work," Kei said, turning to Hayate, who nodded as the Knight strode off down the street. After realizing he had been left to pick up the bill and paying with it muttered threats to Go, he sighed and headed down the street himself, going back to work as well.

* * *

"What are you _doing_?" she finally asked, having watched Mannen and Hajime run around in circles for almost thirty minutes. Secretly, she was surprised and rather impressed that they hadn't thrown up or gotten dizzy yet, and Shin curled up next to her silently.

"Exercising," Mannen replied, as if it was obvious.

"They're nuts," Go shrugged. "I don't think they're doing anything except burning off energy they got off that ice cream."

"Oh," Toni blinked. "I guess it's like having a bunch of brothers with you guys, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess," Go nodded, "Sasame, Hayate, and Kei usually take charge, though. I mostly just go off and fight whatever comes along. You don't have any siblings, do you?"

"No," she shook her head. "I don't think I've ever really wanted any, to tell truth. But having you guys around is…an experience and a half, I can tell you that much. It's fun, though, I'll admit it."

"I think we have to get going," Go realized, looking up at the sky. "I've got to get back to work, and these guys _do_ have stuff to do."

"Aw, c'mon, Go!" Mannen protested, but to no avail.

"How about the bunch of us meet you here around six, and we can go out to a movie or something?" Go suggested, reining in the two protesting Knights as Shin merely clung to Toni.

"That sounds cool – I'm not doing anything else, obviously," she nodded with a grin. "Same place here?"

"Yep, right here," he agreed, and began to drag them away. "I'll see you then, Toni!"

"Bye!" she waved, and then looked around. There wasn't many people around, seeing as it was a weekday and most people were at work or school. Sighing, she headed back to her house to hang around for a few hours.

* * *

"Why do I care what I look like?" she wondered out loud, finding herself digging through her already-messy closet looking for something to wear. Pausing in her actions she straightened and placed her hands firmly on her hips, looking at the wall. "What the hell am I doing?" she asked herself. "I better not be turning into a little twit, or I'll blame them."

Heaving a dramatic sigh she resumed her search, the late spring weather beginning to slightly warm. Finally finding something that appealed to her in the still-cool temperatures, she shoved the rest of the clothes back behind the door, making a mental to clean it out and promptly forgetting it. Silver sandals with low heels followed stockings and a black skirt that flowed around just above her knees, and a snug white tank-top underneath a sheer black T-shirt with a deep V-neck.

"I don't know why I care," she muttered to herself, quickly putting on some eyeliner and brushing her hair out. Checking the clock she saw she was early, but gave a slight shrug. "Ah well, I'll just go and wait around for a while," she decided, and locked the door behind her as she strode down the street.

* * *

"Ah…" she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, leaning against the tree. Her legs were folded underneath her, and there were hardly any people around, seeing as the sun was setting and the park wasn't very popular to begin with on the weekdays. Relaxing her body she drifted off into a half-conscious state, only jumping awake when someone poked her shoulder. "Huh?"

"Hello."

Toni found herself face-to-face with a young woman about her age with dark brown hair and deep green eyes. For some reason, Toni was reminded of a tree, but couldn't figure out why.

"My name is Fenrir."

"Fenrir…wait a sec, Fenrir…"

"Yes, only I'm not the Princess of Disaster Fenrir," the woman laughed, and knelt beside Toni. She placed a finger on Toni's lips, and Toni found herself unable to move. "The Princess summoned a Great Tree of Leafe – the Great Tree of Fenrir, to absorb all the Leafe in the world. However, she lost her nerve and allowed it to die. The Tree, angered, retained a small sliver of conscious and slowly grew in power, feeding off Leafe in small amounts, so as not to attract too much attention."

Toni blinked when the woman looked her in the eye and laughed prettily.

"You can imagine my surprise when I discovered Himeno Awayuki, the girl who defeated the Tree, was no longer Pretear! Ah, but I suppose Power is fleeting…" she sighed wistfully, then returned her attention to Toni. "But I'm sure you're wondering who I am. Well, if you have any brains, you should have realized it by now. I'm the Tree of Fenrir – hence the name, you see. What do I want with you? I suppose it won't hurt to tell you. I decided that the easiest way to accumulate Leafe is to become the Pretear, the creator of Leafe. And if I could Prêt with the Knights of Leafe, I could absorb their Leafe myself, and dispose of their annoying existence."

Toni's eyes widened, but Fenrir continued.

"And so, I'm going to take on your appearance – and powers with it, of course," she added absently. "I've arranged for more of the tainted Leafe to attack us tonight, giving me the opportunity to Prêt. You will become invisible, and I'll mask your Leafe as well after copying it. You will come along, however – I wouldn't want you to miss yourself, after all." She laughed again, and then abruptly pressed her palm flat against Toni's forehead. The other girl gasped as an odd sensation flowed through her – almost as if she was losing a vital part of herself. To her horror, she saw Fenrir transform into an exact copy of herself before her very eyes.

"You little bitch!" she hissed, suddenly regaining her power of speech.

"I almost forgot – don't worry, I'll kill you as soon as I finish off your Knights," Fenrir told her. "And yes – I was the one who created the red snow, not Fenrir. I had to see if you were the Pretear or not, after all."

"What did you do to Himeno?" she demanded, but Fenrir only laughed again before pressing a fingertip against Toni's lips. Toni opened her mouth, and realized that her voice was gone. When Fenrir next spoke, she sounded exactly like Antonia.

"I won't forget you, don't worry," she said mockingly, and Toni felt herself wrapped in invisible bonds. She was lifted off the ground and trailed after Fenrir, who was walking towards Sasame and Hayate, who appeared deep in conversation.

"_No! I can't let her do this – not now, I can't! But…no!"_ Toni tried desperately to struggle, but was unable to do anything. She found herself directly in front of Sasame, and the feeling of having the Knight look right through her hurt more than she would have thought.

"Hello, Tonia," he smiled, and Hayate nodded curtly, appearing as if he had to finish saying something. "Can you wait just a moment? There's something Hayate and I need to discuss."

"Of course," Fenrir smiled sweetly and strode off. Toni hoped they would realize that wasn't her kind of behavior, but they apparently had something more important on their minds.

"You say Himeno wasn't home?" Sasame asked, lowering his tone. Hayate nodded.

"Yes. I went to pick her up, and her father said she had already left. I searched around, but she's nowhere to be found," Hayate said, and Sasame frowned.

"That's odd…we'll wait until the others arrive," he decided. Hayate looked displeased, but didn't argue. Fenrir approached them once more with a grin – Toni got shivers seeing a copy of herself and knowing what Fenrir was going to do.

"The others are coming, right?" she pressed, and Hayate nodded curtly.

"They should be here soon – ah, here they come," Sasame noticed, looking past her. Go was followed by Mannen, Hajime, and Shin, while Kei approached a little ways behind, looking like he'd rather be back at his computer.

"So, where're we going?" Go asked, once they were all standing together. "Hey, where's Himeno?"

"She'll be here later," Sasame said, interrupting Hayate. As Shin and Hajime crowded around Fenrir, Toni saw her hands twitch and figured she was suppressing the urge to Prêt then and there and get it over with. Instead, her copy smiled and began to talk to them, and Toni almost wanted to cry out of frustration.

Almost.

She much rather would have beaten the crap out of her, but she was in no position to do so.

* * *

As the time Fenrir spent with the Knights progressed, Toni grew more and more tense, waiting for the Leafe to attack them and keeping an eye out for an opportunity to escape. Unfortunately, Fenrir was keeping a firm concentration on her bonds, leaving no room for struggle.

"_Those **jackasses**!"_ she swore, _"Can't they tell it's not me?"_ She knew it was no use to be mad at the Knights – Fenrir must have observed her for an adequate amount of time, because she played Toni's part to perfection. _"The bitch should have been actress,"_ Toni thought grudgingly, and then paused as a thought struck her. _"If she's a **tree**, is she a **she**, or what? I'll have to figure that out later, I guess."_

Fenrir, for her part, was enjoying tormenting Toni immensely, and if all went according to her plan, was going to drag the night out as long as possible.

The Knights – Sasame, at least – thought Toni was acting rather more cheerful than usual, but put it down to her recent changes in attitude toward them.

"_I **knew** I should have kept being a bitch!"_ Toni groaned, _"It probably would be easier for them to figure it out, the dumbasses. I swear, men are all assholes. But I'm complicated when I'm a bitch, if I say so myself. The best I can hope for is that the bitch fucks up something awful."_ Fenrir was now firmly lodged as "the bitch" in Toni's mind.

"_That girl must be going out of her mind by now,"_ Fenrir thought in amusement, with a small smile. Suddenly, Sasame's eyes narrowed and Hayate shot to his feet.

"Leafe! It's being tainted again!"

"Fuck!"

* * *

In case it's not obvious, that last swear was Toni, of course. Please review and let me know what you think so far!


	5. Chapter 5

Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

This is the last chapter of this story! I hope it was good for all of you guys that read it. Not much else to say, I'm afraid.

Please review.

* * *

"It's huge!" Hajime gasped, as they found the tainted Leafe just around the corner. It had merged with a building, and was about six stories tall at this point.

"We'll have to Prêt," Fenrir suggested, earning a quick glance from all the Knights, and Toni lit up.

"_Score!"_

"I'm glad to see you're willing to try again," Sasame said calmly, and took her hand. "Maybe this will work this time."

"_No! **No**, you stupid idiot! Sasame, if you do that, I'll – I'll – I'll…"_ Toni found herself at a loss for words when the pair's hands began to glow, and Fenrir eagerly merged with Sasame. To the Knights' surprise, the moment she started the Prêt the Leafe stopped attacking, and seemed to wither away.

"What the hell's going on?" Go demanded, backing away as Fenrir emerged as Toni as the Pretear of Sound. "Toni – are you okay?"

"You really are a bunch of idiots," she chuckled, and Hayate narrowed his eyes as Kei frowned, hearing that the voice wasn't the same as Toni's.

"What are you doing?" Go continued to press her, but was suddenly flung back by the Bow of Sound. Toni barely notice, preoccupied with Sasame. Being bound by Leafe, and somehow absorbed in it, she felt his presence nearby, and could sense he was rapidly losing his Leafe.

"_Sasame!"_ she cried silently, desperately wishing she could reach out to him. To her shock, she felt a twinge in the back of her mind, and frantically clutched at it, drawing it to her. Toni realized that it was Sasame's Leafe, and her mind raced.

"You fools!" Fenrir laughed, transforming back into the form she had shown Toni. "Not to notice when your own Pretear isn't even herself! It's a wonder you weren't defeated when we first met!"

"Huh?" Mannen blinked, to stunned to do anything else.

"We met before?" Kei repeated, "You don't look familiar."

"I am the Great Tree of Fenrir!" she announced, flying up in the air and spreading her arms wide. Without further explanation, she began to draw Leafe into herself, the air shimmering around them. Toni was concentrating on Sasame's weakening presence, and wished she could hit something out of frustration.

"_Sasame, don't you die on me!"_ she ordered. _"You're my Knight – I forbid it! See, I'm acting like a Pretear? Why can't I **do** anything?" _she demanded to no one in particular, and suddenly sensed amusement coming from his Leafe. _"You're **laughing**? **Now**, of all times?" _

"_Calm down, Tonia."_

"_Sasame?"_ she blinked, but there was no answer. _"Sasame!"_ Reaching out as far as she could, Toni spread her Leafe out around her, searching for him. Finding a sliver left she wrapped him up in her Leafe, giving him it as fast as she was able to, without thinking of how that would affect her. So it came rather as a surprise when she found herself gasping for air, barely able to breath, let alone sustain herself.

"You little wretch!" Fenrir cried, pausing in her absorption of Leafe. The Knights found themselves bound as Toni had been, only not invisible.

"Who's she talking to?" Hajime wondered, but no one replied.

"What do you think you're doing?" Fenrir demanded, and suddenly released her bonds on Toni. The Knights cried out in surprise when the Pretear abruptly dropped from out of nowhere from the sky and landed heavily on the ground, barely alive.

"What did you do?" Kei asked angrily, losing all self-control. "Did you absorb her Leafe? Did you kill her, you…monster?"

"I didn't do a thing to her," Fenrir replied scornfully, barely casting a second glance at the girl. "She did it to herself, trying to save your Knight of Sound. Foolish little idiot, she –" Fenrir was cut off when a ball of light suddenly began to withdraw from her body. She clutched at it, desperately trying to draw it back into her, but Sasame was on the ground within moments, catching his breath.

"Sasame!" Hayate called, and the Knight looked up briefly.

"The little bitch!" Fenrir screeched, now drawing in Leafe in huge amounts. Her body was clothed in a black robe, and her hair swirled around her figure as her eyes glowed angrily. She directed a blast of tainted Leafe toward Toni, still holding the other Knights firmly in place.

"Toni!" Go cried out, and Shin closed his eyes to avoid seeing her die. After a few seconds he looked again, and gasped in surprise. Sasame had thrown himself at the unconscious girl and had pushed them out of harm's way, laying protectively on top of her.

"Fine! Die along with the Pretear if that's what you desire, Knight!" Fenrir shrieked angrily, and Kei noticed something odd about her hair.

"She's…taking root!" he realized, seeing her hair meld itself into the ground and surrounding buildings. "She's becoming the Tree again! If she reaches that stage, we're all done for!"

"You're just Mister Sunshine," Hayate grunted, still trying to break free.

* * *

"Tonia…Tonia, please, say something…" Sasame whispered, looking into her face. Her eyes were closed, and he realized that he wanted nothing more at that moment then to see them open again and glaring at him. His fingertips resting on her jawline, the Knight of Sound was surprised at his emotional reaction to seeing her so close to death – it was more than a Knight for a Pretear, or a friend to friend, he knew that much.

Her eyelids fluttered briefly, but her breathing remained faint and erratic. Pressing his fingertips against her face, he allowed some Leafe to flow into her, having quickly regenerated his own Leafe once he was free. He watched as her chest slowly began to rise and fall at a more normal pace, if still rather shallow, and moved so he was kneeling over her from the side, instead of sitting on her.

"Tonia…" he began, but froze when her eyes slowly opened. Focusing on the blurry images around her, she hardly believed it when she saw Sasame beside her, looking pale and concerned.

"Great…now I'm dead…" she managed breathily. "And so're you….I guess I wasn't strong enough…and it's all….your fault, Sasame you jackass…you couldn't even tell a fake me…"

"Tonia!" he swept her up in his cloak, pressing her against his chest. She gasped at the sudden motion, and the rush of air into her lungs brought the world into clearer focus.

"I'm…not dead?" she asked hesitantly, trying to look up as her face was held firmly against his torso.

"Hey, lovebirds, feel like helping out?" Go shouted suddenly. The Knight of Fire felt a little jealous, he admitted, but shrugged it off for another time. "We're still stuck here!"

"You're not strong enough," Sasame tried to protest as she grabbed his hand, but she shot him a dirty look.

"Bullshit," she retorted, "If you can Prêt with that bitch, you can mange it with me. Now, I have some ass to kick, so let's go!" With that, she gripped his hand firmly, and felt a rush of Leafe as the Prêt flowed into them. Within seconds, she was the Pretear of Sound, and marveled at hearing all the things that had previously been out of her range. Shaking her head, she turned her attention to Fenrir, who was indeed taking root into the surrounding area. "Back off, bitch. This is my town, and you're not destroying it again," Toni said quietly, gathering Leafe to her.

"You stupid little girl," Fenrir sniffed, barely paying any attention. "You think just because you've once again a Pretear with the Knight of Sound means you can defeat me?"

"It's a start," Toni replied. "And I hate when people like you are condescending!" Aiming the Bow of Sound, Toni felt Sasame guiding her power as she had Fenrir in her sights.

"That's not going to work, little girl."

"Little _girl_?" the Pretear repeated, now really pissed off.

"Waste her, Toni!" Mannen cheered, the Knights still bound in Leafe.

"_Stay on your guard,"_ Sasame warned her, and she nodded. _"Taking root like she is, she's stronger than before – it'll take a lot to bring her down."_

"_I figured as much, Sasame,"_ Toni replied mentally, and then finished out-loud. "Now, just watch as I show who's stronger!"

"You think you can beat me?" Fenrir sniffed, taking a little more note of the Pretear. "Die, you little witch!"

"_Who's_ the witch?" Toni demanded, smoothly avoiding the Demon Larvae Fenrir shot at her. Flying up into the air, Toni readied the Bow of Sound in her hands and inhaled deeply as she sensed the Leafe flowing into her.

"_Concentrate,"_ Sasame murmured, and she felt his presence surrounding her like a cloak of Leafe. Nodding, Toni aimed the weapon at Fenrir, whose roots were now deeply absorbed into the area. The Knights who were still bound were beginning to grow tired, and Toni realized that there wasn't much time left before Fenrir sucked all their Leafe from them.

"I won't let you win!" Toni shouted, and released the shining arrow into the air. "I won't let someone like you beat me!" The Knights watched as the arrow, growing in power as it streaked towards Fenrir, glowed white with Leafe. Fenrir shrieked as the arrow pierced her shield, and she began to disintegrate as her Leafe was purified and drawn back into the world instead of herself.

"You…little bitch!" Fenrir cursed as she disappeared from view, shining particles floating into the sky before imploding. The Leafe binding the Knights dissipated as well, and they landed on their feet in relief.

"Toni!" Sasame cried, ending the Prêt as she dropped from the sky in exhaustion. He landed gently on his feet cradling the Pretear in his arms, and the others gathered around in concern.

"Is she okay?" Hajime asked.

"I'm…fine," she managed a weak smile, trying to sit up a little straighter. "I can sense Himeno nearby – somewhere in this block. She's still shielded, but it'll be easy enough for one of you to break through it, now that she's gone…"

"She's just asleep," Sasame told them, as she trailed off and her eyes closed suddenly. "Using the Bow, she let it absorb most of her own Leafe to increase it's power. She just needs some rest to recouperate, that's all."

* * *

"Is Himeno all right?" Toni asked, waking up with a start several hours later.

"She's fine. We're in her house, by the way," Sasame added, smiling down at her. "You certainly were something back there, you know. You could have killed yourself, using so much Leafe to power the Bow. It wasn't necessary."

"Yes, it was," she said stubbornly. "I can't believe you were all tricked!"

"Well…" Sasame trailed off awkwardly, unsure of what to say. "Tonia, your mother was looking for you."

"I'm not going back," she decided suddenly, frowning to herself. "I don't have to – I know that now. I can find a place to stay, but I won't go back there."

* * *

"Antonia – where were you?" her mother asked, meeting her at the door.

"I've been busy, mom," she said stiffly, brushing past into the house. She was met by Duane, who looked at her smugly – she crossed her arms and glared back, refusing to back up as he approached her. "What do you want?" she demanded, and he grasped her arm tightly.

"Your mother was worried, Antonia," he said quietly, and she jerked her arm away. He went to grab her again, but a figure suddenly blocked him from her and stood firmly between them. "Who the hell are you?"

"This is Sasame," Toni said calmly, going up the stairs to her room. "I just came to get some stuff I'll need. I'll be staying with him, so don't worry about it."

"You little slut!" Duane shouted after her, but Sasame's calm gaze stopped him from chasing after her. Toni only took a few moments to grab her things together, and made her way to the front door, where Sasame was patiently waiting for her.

"I won't be back. I'm sorry, mom," she managed, glancing briefly at her mother. "I'm in good hands, so don't worry. I guess this is goodbye."

"Wait – Antonia?" her mother froze when Sasame suddenly swept Toni into his arms and shot into the sky, leaving her old life behind her.

* * *

"Sasame – you shouldn't have done that," she chided him, giggling a little as she grasped his neck firmly. "But…are you sure about this?"

"Well, you turned eighteen yesterday, so there's no legal complications," he said calmly. "Tonia…if you're not sure, you don't have to come with us."

"Damn straight I'm sure!" she informed him sternly. "I couldn't live another second in that house, now that I have you guys. I'll find a job, so I won't be a freeloader either."

"You can freeload all you want, as far as I'm concerned," Sasame murmured, before bending his neck to kiss her firmly on the lips. She gasped a little, but eagerly returned his caress, relishing the feeling of the wind whipping around her as they flew among the clouds.

* * *

Yes, I know, kind of a weak ending? But I thought it was nice, albeit a bit corny...Please review! 


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